Sales-checking apparatus.



No. 767,719. PATBNTED AUG. 16, 1904.

R. B. STANLEY.

SALES CHEGKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1903.

no MODEL.

3 10 igiw 3mm 50257268568 .5 V v mm A I A 8.3m ym z mm A a a mmwi UNITED STATES Patented August 16, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD B. STANLEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO NEIV SYSTEM TICKET COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SALES-CHECKING APPARATUS- SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 767,719, dated August 16, 1904. Application filed November 16, 1903. Serial No. 181,276. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RIoHARD B. STANLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sales-Checking Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sales-checking apparatus of that type in which a bunch of coupon-tickets, sales -checks, or the like is locked into a holder in such manner that none of the stubs of the tickets or checks can be removed from the holder after having once been locked therein except by unlocking the holder, thereby compelling a correct return of all sales of or represented by the tickets or checks.

My invention is intended to provide an improved apparatus of the type above referred to which shall be simple, practical, and eflicient, and an apparatus embodying my improvements in their preferred form is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which' Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the complete apparatus, certain parts being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the holder. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the complete apparatus. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a cover hereinafter described, and

Fig. 5 is a side edge view of the same. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a removable bottom plate, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a pile of checks.

Referring to the drawings, 2 represents the body of the holder, which is a box-like structure having its top and. front sides open, the dimensions ofthis holder being such as to receive and fit with approximate accuracy the stub ends 3 of a suitable number of coupon checks or tickets piled one upon another, with the coupon ends 4 of the checks or tickets projecting laterally from the open front side of the holder. Such a pile of checks is shown detached in Fig. 7, the stub ends of said checks being provided on each side, as shown, with registering notches 5, and each side wall of the holder 2 is provided on its inner face with a projecting rib 6 in position to register with and enter the collective notches in the corresponding side of the pile of checks.

In order to support the coupon ends of the pile of checks when in place in the holder and to facilitate the removal of the stubs, I prefer to provide a plate 7 corresponding in size and shape to one of the checks and having corresponding notches 8 formed in its edges, which plate is thus adapted to form a removable bottom for the holder.

9 is a removable cover adapted to fit within the top of the holder 2 and provided with notches 10 to receive the ribs 6. Each of said ribs is provided with a number of teeth 11, and the cover 9 is provided with a double locking device of any suitable construction adapted to engage-with a pair of opposite teeth 11, and thus prevent the removal of the cover from the holder except when unlocked. This locking device may be of any suitable construction and preferably constitutes a spring-lock, being operated by a removable key 12 in the usual manner.

The teeth 11 are preferably flat on their under sides, while their upper sides slant downwardly in order that the cover 9 may be forced downward over the successive teeth and caused to engage beneath the same by the action of the spring-lock without making it necessary to use the key when looking the cover in place. I

In order to prevent the front sides of the o holder from being spread apart, I prefer to provide the front edge of the cover 9 with rearwardlyextending fingers 13, adapted to embrace the side walls of the holder 2 in sliding engagement therewith, as shown in Fig. 2.

Devices of this character are commonly worn by salesmen, waiters, and the like, and tothis end the holder 2 may be provided with a clip l i, between which and the holder a belt may be passed, so that the device may be 9 strapped around the waist of the user.

In using my apparatus a pile of checks or tickets, each notched, as above described, and preferably perforated or otherwise weakened along the intended line of separation of the coupon part from its stub, is placed upon the bottom plate 7, and said plate and checks are then placed in the holder with the checks face upward and the ribs 6 entering the notches '5 and 8. The cover 9 is then pressed firmly down upon the top of the pile and is secured in place by the engagement of its locking mechanism with the under sides of a pair of opposed teeth 11. The key being removed, the apparatus is then ready for use by the salesman, who tears off the coupon part of each check or ticket in order until all ofthem have been used, the stubs being meanwhile retained in the holder by the ribs 6 and the locked cover 9 in such manner that no one of them can be displaced or removed. After all the coupons have been used the holder and stubs are handed in, the cover 9 is unlocked and removed, and the pile of stubs is lifted out of the holder by raising the plate 7 In order to facilitate the handling of the pile of checks or tickets Without disarrangement or danger of separation, an ordinary rubber band 15 may be placed around the stub ends of the checks and located in the notches 5, which should be of such depth that the presence of the rubber band Will not interfere with the insertion and removal of the checks. The presence of such a rubber band is particularly advantageous when the pile of stubs is removed from the holder, as it prevents all possibility of their scattering. I consider that the provision of these notches, in connection with the corresponding ribs on the holder, forms an important feature of my invention, not only because of the advantage just referred to, but also because the notched tickets or checks may each be cut at one op- I eration, and thus produced more cheaply than the perforated checks heretofore used in similar devices of this class, while the double looking engagement of the sides of the cover with the toothed ribs also provides a more positive and secure locking arrangement than those commonly used hitherto.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a holder having an open front and top and provided on the inner faces of its side walls with inwardly-projecting ribs, a cover adapted to enter the open top of said holder and provided with notches to receive said ribs, and means for detachably locking said cover to said holder.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a holder having an open top and front and provided on the inner faces of its side walls with inwardly-projecting ribs, a loose bottom plate notched to receive said ribs, a cover adapted to enter the open top of said holder and notched to receive said ribs, and means for detachably locking the cover to said holder.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a holder having an open top and front and provided on the inner faces of its side Walls with inwardly-projecting ribs, a removable platenotched to receive said ribs, acover adapted to enter the open top of said holder and notched to receive said ribs, said cover being also provided at its front edge with rearwardly-extending fingers adapted to embrace the side walls of the holder, and means for detachably locking the cover to said holder.

L. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a holder having an open front and top and provided on the inner faces of its side walls with toothed ribs, a cover adapted to enter the open top of said holder, and means for detachably locking said cover to said toothed ribs.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a holder having an open front and top and provided on the inner faces of its side walls with toothed ribs, and a cover adapted to enter the open top of said holder and provided with a doublelock adapted to detachably engage the teeth of said ribs.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a holder having an open front and top and provided on the inner faces of its side walls with toothed ribs, and a cover adapted to enter the open top of said holder and provided with a double lock adapted to detachably engage the teeth of said ribs, said cover being also provided at its front edge with rearwardly-extending fingers adapted to embrace the side walls of said holder.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a holder having an open front and top and provided on the inner faces of its side walls with toothed ribs, a loose bottom plate notched to receive said ribs, and a cover adapted to enter the open top of said holder and provided with a double lock adapted to detachably engage the teeth of said ribs.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a holder having an open front and top and provided on the inner faces of its side walls with inwardly-projecting ribs, a pile of checks adapted to enter said holder and to project through the open front thereof, said checks being notched to receive said ribs, a cover adapted to enter the open top of said holder, and means for detachably locking said cover to said holder.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a holder having an open front and top and provided on the inner faces of its side walls with inwardly-projecting ribs, a pile of checks adapted to enter said holder and to project through the open front thereof, said checks being notched to receive said ribs, a loose bottom plate also notched to receive said ribs, a cover adapted to enter the open top of said holder, and means for detachably locking said cover to said holder.

10. As an article of manufacture for use in a holder of the character described, a check,

or ticket comprising a stub and a coupon porto receive retaining-ribs, and a confining-band located in said notches and holding said stubs I together, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 5th day of November, 1903.

RICHARD B. STANLEY. Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, E. D. OHADWIoK. 

